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Extensive federal regulations fail to prevent truck accidents

Federal safety regulations that are in place are designed to prevent truck accidents from occurring in California and the 49 other states. Unfortunately, they fail to prevent truck accidents when drivers and companies act negligently by ignoring the regulations. Fortunately, when an accident victim suffers injuries due to a driver or company's failure to adhere to these regulations, legal recourse is available in the form of personal injury compensation. If you sustained an injury in a truck accident, an understanding of safety regulations may help you determine if a personal injury suit is an option.

One of the most important things to know about the federal regulations is that drug and alcohol use is illegal for commercial drivers, just as it is for all drivers. However, the federal government imposes a lower blood alcohol content limit on commercial drivers than most states impose on all drivers. In fact, commercial drivers may not report to work with BACs equal to or greater than 0.04 percent.

Another important thing to know concerns the number of continuous hours drivers are allowed to work. According to regulations, drivers can work no more than 14 hours in a row after having had no less than 10 hours off the road. Additionally, of those 14 hours, no more than 11 can be spent driving.

As in all legal matters, exceptions apply to some of the regulations, and it is often these exceptions that make personal injury claims after truck accidents seem so complex. To avoid confusion, many victims in California find the help of experienced legal professionals advantageous. Personal injury attorneys know the federal safety regulations and can help you determine if a lack of adherence contributed to or directly caused your accident.